Live for Less Elsewhere

[Souschef]

At one time I was considering moving to New Zealand. In looking at a local newspaper, I realized they had no heavy industry. What that meant was all appliancse and autos had to be imported.
Plus there was a requirement that you invest in a local business.
Plus it is the British system of politics.
I moved to a small town in Central California, and am very happy here

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souschef At one time I was considering moving to New Zealand. In looking at a local newspaper, I realized they had no heavy industry. What that meant was all appliancse and autos had to be imported.

True, but you can get a helluva deal on mutton.

Ha

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souschef and autos had to be imported.

Heading across the Pacific from Australia to England in early 1963, we had a stopover in Wellington......Australia manufactured the (GM) Holden, but NZ instituted high tariffs...consequently the roads had a Keystone Kops look to them with lots of 1920/30s pickup trucks, etc, roving around.

[Brat]

The last time we were in NZ the drivers used their road like Keystone Kops. We happened to meet a NZ highway safety consultant who told us that the roads are narrow (no shoulder) and most two lane. Some curves can only accommodate one vehicle at a time. He claimed that Japan requires cars to be replaced at a fixed interval so NZ drivers buy them used. They have more power than can be safely used on most NZ roads.

The funniest thing I heared in NZ was a local who said, "NZ was settled by do-gooders, AU by 'criminals'. AU got the best of the lot."

NZ reminds me of the PNW, for better and worse. AU's economy is struggling now because of the downturn in mining.

[Souschef]

My move was much smaller. I moved from a city of 2.9 million to a semirural town on 29,000. My property tax went from over $2K to $400.
I am 10 minutes away from a larger city that has all the things I need as far as stores, hospitals, etc.

[hnzw_rui]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyber888 There are several condos in the Philippines that are near shopping malls and commercial complexes are walking distance. There are several condos just beside the SM City Mall in Ortigas, or in Makati. Or get a condo in the new Fort Bonifacio city. There are a lot of real-estate developments that create entire living ecosystems - high-rise condo + club house + shopping centers + restaurants + movies, and you may never need a car. If you go to Metro Cebu, same thing - high rise condos in Ayala Cebu shopping center. I know that you can buy health insurance in the Philippines - just don't know how much.

Yup, I know. One of my grandmothers lived in Eastwood so we usually stayed there whenever we went on vacation. Also considering BGC (Bonifacio Global City). There are plenty of substandard condos in the Philippines but the ones built by Ayala are pretty decent. The top reason for considering those two locations aside from being very walk-friendly is there's St. Luke's in BGC and The Medical City near Eastwood both of which are JCI accredited. Leaning towards BGC as I trust Ayala more than I do Megaworld.

You can buy health insurance in the Philippines and it's pretty inexpensive but they can deny you for pre-existing conditions (or at any time, really). Also, there's typically a maximum benefit (annual and/or lifetime).

That said, I grew up in the Philippines and know more or less what to expect. For obvious reasons, I'm very fluent in Tagalog. Among my friends, I'm typically the one who dresses quite poorly (no designer brands, no jewelry, etc), so I'm not an obvious target as, say, someone who's Caucasian. And yes, corruption is very rampant.

[mpeirce]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaMan My in-laws live in a 3rd world country, I have spent quite a bit of time there too over the years. They always keep some cash on hand because if they have a fire in the house, the fire truck will come, but if they don't pay them, they will just let the house burn. Same with ambulance. The police? If you don't pay them, they won't do anything for you. Even if you do pay, they probably won't do anything. Hit and run drivers? It is the rule rather than the exception. Get hit by a car, the driver will speed off, often over you, and passers by will rush to you. Not to your aid but to rob you. Even if a policeman sees it happen he will do nothing. No police protection remember? If you do go to the police better have money, a lot or they will do nothing. Even if you give them money they will probably do nothing. You cannot park your car or moto outside without paying someone to look after it. If you don't have big bars on all your home windows, and steel doors and good locks, you will get robbed. Some friends (even in a gated community) have gotten robbed a number of times.

I was reading the morning paper and ran across this letter to the editor and though of your posting as I read it.

Strangers' kindness can't be overstated | The Columbus Dispatch

Quote:

I was involved in a serious auto accident on Hilliard-Rome Road. After the impact, I was in a good deal of pain and feeling very claustrophobic because the car had rolled over, and the roof had partially caved in above my head. Desperate to get out of the car, I took off my seat belt, and attempted to climb out of the broken passenger window. However, I soon realized that I couldn’t exit the vehicle on my own power. Before I knew it, two gentlemen lifted me out and placed me a safe distance from the vehicle. They (and others) proceeded to sift through the twisted metal and broken glass to retrieve my purse, phone, and even my lunch pail. While waiting for the squad to arrive, medically trained passers-by stopped to check on me. One gentle soul even brought me some pillows and a blanket. Before I was taken to the hospital, this group of people whom I’d never met rallied around to make sure my belongings followed me into the emergency vehicle. One of the gentlemen who had lifted me out of the car even asked the medics where I would be taken. He then called my son to make sure he knew where to find me.

Good old American/Midwestern helpfulness.